I admit it, I am addicted to all shows starring Gordon Ramsey. I would LOVE to eat at one of his restaurants some day. That said, I now go into new eateries with a "Kitchen Nightmares" approach.
For example: This evening we tried a new place called Smash Burger on N Woodlawn. The burgers were great! It seems to me that they will make a success of the place. Why? Multiple reasons.
First, when you walk in the door it smells and looks wonderful. The decor is relaxed and fun. It looks cohesive and like a place you want to spend time in. (And I have definately been in places I DIDN'T want to spend time. Not good) The smells wafting from the kitchen were wonderful. Spicy and juicy and all around tantalizing.
Second, their menu is concise, easy to use, and very clear. I hate going to restarants with an overcomplicated menu or one that is misleading. I always feel cheated when I get the bill. They have a two panel menu with your options laid out for you. My favorite feature is the custom built burger that lists everything you can have on it.
Three, they are a burger joint, but they have a few items that make them stand out from the crowd. Case in point: Veggie Frites. Deep fried green beans, carrots, and asparagus. Very yummy. My one year old LOVED them. They also have a menu that is very easy to convert to "low-carb".
The only possible negative is the price. For a burger place it is a little pricey. For two burger, two fries, two fountain drinks, and a side of veggie frites we paid almost thirty dollars. That is a lot for burgers. The food was excellent however. We left full, I fed my daughter something that I thought was decently healthy (fries are NOT), and the burgers were HUGE! (Note: we both got 1/2 lb burgers. There is a 1/3lb option.)

All of this said, I love eating out, but I only revisit eateries that are affordable, yummy, and make me WANT to eat there. Maybe I am a closet critic, but it seems to me that as consumers we are entitled to our opinions.